Europa League - More Drama on the Pitch on Matchday 1
by Thobelani Moyo | by Thobelani Moyo
Aston Villa vs. Bologna
- Date and Time: 25 September 2025, 20:00 (BST)
- Venue: Villa Park, Birmingham, England
The Villans are featuring in a European competition for the third consecutive time. Their last appearance was in the previous season; they were in the UEFA Champions League for the first time before the competition was rebranded in 1992.
Hands down, it was an impressive showing from the team as they finished in eighth place, the last spot required to progress to the Round of 16. In the Round of 16, they beat Belgian club Club Brugge 6-1 on aggregate before losing out to the eventual winners of the tournament, Paris Saint-Germain, in the quarter-finals.
Aston Villa is a team that is blessed with Unai Emery's tactical acumen. The 53-year-old head coach knows the ins and outs of the UEFA Europa League and what it takes to be successful in this competition.
His record should speak for itself, as he has managed an outstanding 93 games. During this period, 56 wins have been recorded, which is the most by any head coach. Let's not forget that he has enjoyed the success of lifting four titles, which once more stands out the most.
Unai Emery's Aston Villa becomes the third different club he has managed in the UEFA Europa League, having gained exposure in Spain with Sevilla and Villarreal.
Check out Unai Emery's stats in the UEFA Europa League:
- Games managed: 93
- Games won: 56
- Games drawn: 22
- Games lost: 15
- Trophies collected: 4
Following a historic moment in the previous season, when Bologna lifted the Coppa Italia for the first time since the 1973-74 season, the Italian outfit secured its place in the UEFA Europa League proper for the first time.
This is not the first time Italiano's men have appeared on the continental stage, having done so in the previous season when they qualified for the UEFA Champions League after a 60-year absence from the competition. It was far from being a storybook journey, as they failed to reach the knockout playoffs. They finished in 28th place in the 36-team table, resulting in their early elimination from the competition.
It has to be pointed out that participating in this season's UEFA Europa League marks the second consecutive time they have featured in a European competition. The last time they achieved such a feat was in 1999-00—this was in the UEFA Cup.
Head-to-Head Meetings
This marks the second meeting between these two sides in a European competition. Their most recent tussle was in the previous season of the UEFA Champions League group phase when Aston Villa came out on top in a 2-0 victory at Villa Park. Put simply, this is their second consecutive clash in a European competition.
Rangers FC vs. Genk
- Date and Time: 25 September 2025, 20:00 (BST)
- Venue: Ibrox Stadium, Glasgow, Scotland
Rangers FC are out to reduce scrutiny following their shaky form in the Scottish Premiership. Russell Martin's men are second-to-bottom in the league standings and are nine points behind the top two teams.
The UEFA Europa League provides a perfect opportunity for them to do so, as this has been their playground. The Gers are featured in this competition for the third consecutive time. In the previous season, they finished in eighth place, which was enough to see them progress to the Round of 16 proper.
Russell Martin's team was able to reach the quarter-finals but suffered a 2-0 aggregate defeat against Athletic Bilbao, resulting in their elimination.
Genk face a tough challenge in their opening game against Rangers FC. Check out the Rangers FC vs. Genk prediction for more insights. Their opponents have won four of their last opening matches in the UEFA Europa League. A slim opportunity, however, might present itself considering their opponent's poor home form in a European competition, recording three draws and three losses in their last UEFA Europa League home league games.
The Blue-White are featured in this competition for the fourth time. This also marks their first appearance since the 2021-22 season, when they finished at the bottom of the table in Group H.
To get here, Thorsten Fink's men finished third in the Jupiler Pro League in the previous season. That was enough to secure them a spot in the playoff round, where they beat Poland's Lech Poznan 6-3 on aggregate.
Head-to-Head Meetings
Rangers FC are no strangers to facing Belgian opposition. Their most recent meeting was against Club Brugge in the UEFA Champions League qualifiers. It was a humiliating defeat, as they lost 9-1 on aggregate in the playoff round. However, when it comes to head-to-head meetings between them and Genk, this is their first-ever clash.
